Westonbirt Key Stage 4 Handbook 2023

Table of Contents

FORWARD

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & ENGLISH LITERATURE

MATHEMATICS

COMBINED SCIENCE

ART AND DESIGN (Fine Art)

ART AND DESIGN (Textile Design)

BTEC BUSINESS STUDIES

BTEC CHILDREN’S PLAY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

COMPUTER SCIENCE

CREATIVE IMEDIA

BTEC DANCE

FOOD AND NUTRITION

GEOGRAPHY

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES (French and Spanish)

MUSIC

PHYSICAL

RELIGIOUS

SEPARATE

This booklet details the subjects available in years 10 and 11. Do take 9me to study it carefully before you choose your op9ons.

The first sec9on gives details of the compulsory core GCSE courses:

• GCSE English language & GCSE English literature

• GCSE mathema9cs

• GCSE combined science worth two GCSEs (includes physics, chemistry and biology content)

(Separate sciences are in the op9onal sec9on and offers 3 GCSEs)

The second sec9on lists the op9onal GCSE and level 2 voca9onal courses. The level 2 BTEC and OCR Na9onal courses we offer are equivalent to GCSEs and provide a greater range of academic experiences for the pupils. All courses provide opportuni9es to develop the key skills of communica9on, informa9on technology, applica9on of number, improving own learning and performance, working with others and problem solving.

The choice of subjects will depend on individual abili9es and enthusiasms, but do try to keep the selec9on as broad and balanced as possible, as this will keep future op9ons open, providing an advantage when applying for university and when planning your career.

We advise pupils to choose a minimum of three op9onal courses above the core subjects, most pupils choose four and those with a commitment to study may choose five. You should also be realis9c about your extra-curricular commitments in areas such as music, sport, drama, and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award when selec9ng the number and type of courses. Years 10 and 11 are hard work and will combine a variety of subjects which you have chosen to take with the compulsory ones. This can be conflic9ng but hard work and fun, you must find a good balance to make these two years both enjoyable and rewarding.

Westonbirt offers a wide choice and a flexible 9metable, but please note that we reserve the right not to offer when fewer than four pupils select an op9on.

Please take plenty of 9me to consider your choices, but bear in mind that there are deadlines that must be met to allow us to plan for your year 10 9metable and some changes which will impact in year 9. Please confirm your provisional choices to Miss Helen Rogerson via the online form (sent separately to internal candidates), or to Mrs Stevenson (for external candidates) by Saturday 7th January 2023. Changes are possible to make, but may be restricted a^er this date. In the mean9me, please do take the opportunity to talk them over with your tutors, house staff and parents. Mrs Ash (Head of Careers), Miss Rogerson and I are always available to give an objec9ve view about op9ons and careers.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE & ENGLISH LITERATURE

Exam Board – Pearson Edexcel

What can I expect from this subject?

You will be taught by the skilled and innova9ve English team, who have repeatedly ensured our pupils achieve at the best of their ability, with excellent value added in their results. Both GCSE English literature and GCSE English language are pres9gious and highly valued by all universi9es and employers. English Language and English Literature are compulsory GCSE subjects at Westonbirt and they lead to two qualifica9ons. You will study in depth a range of texts from different genres, eras and cultures, enabling you to learn more about the world and the variety of ways in which language and literature can shape society. You will also acquire vital cri9cal thinking skills and sophis9cated, academic wri9ng skills. There are four coursework pieces that are completed in year 10: two for language (Crea9ve Wri9ng and Analy9cal Wri9ng) and two for literature (a Modern Drama explora9on and a Literary Heritage study). These pieces equate to 40% of the GCSEs grading, placing you in excellent stead for the exam studies in year 11.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

Read – anything and everything! Reading a variety of texts is really useful to building a beeer understanding of how literature and language are shaping society. Reading will also boost your vocabulary, understanding of language choices and the ability to write with formality and crea9vity. Ideas of what to read to stretch and get ready for the course are available by emailing the head of department.

What will my next steps be?

English is one of the more popular A-level choices at Westonbirt, which has led many of our pupils into careers and university study such as law, journalism, history, poli9cs, interna9onal rela9ons, marke9ng, computer coding, business management and teaching. A-level English literature and A-level English language help all pupils become beeer cri9cal thinkers, communicators and leaders, making UCAS and work applica9ons much easier and more impressive.

MATHEMATICS

Exam Board – Edexcel

What can I expect from this subject?

Mathema9cs is extremely marketable and amongst the most highly respected GCSEs. The course has been designed to provide a solid founda9on in the basics of mathema9cs, it covers a broad spectrum of mathema9cal topics with an emphasis on developing confidence and perseverance through increased problem-solving.

The areas are:

1. Numbers and the number system

2. Equa9ons, formulae and iden99es

3. Sequences, func9ons and graphs

4. Geometry and trigonometry

5. Vectors and transforma9on geometry

6. Sta9s9cs and probability.

All pupils will be prepared for the Edexcel specifica9on Linear iGCSE from year 9, which may be taken at either founda9on or higher 9er level. The grades will run from 9 – 4 in higher 9er and 5 – 1 in founda9on 9er. The GCSE 9er op9ons will be evidence-based drawing from tracked past and current performance, our professional judgement, current confidence levels and external benchmarking measures. The qualifica9on consists of two, equally weighted, terminal papers of two hours and 100 marks.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

Resilience is a vital quality when it comes to preparing for the subject. Pupils experience some ques9ons that are challenging or unfamiliar and these will o^en be worth three, four or more marks. Although pupils may not always get these ques9ons fully correct, they can pick up some of the marks by showing some worthwhile work towards an answer. Prac9se ques9ons: Confidence in maths is increased by doing maths!

What will my next steps be?

Pupils will be well prepared if they wish to con9nue to study mathema9cs at A-level and beyond. Candidates with an undergraduate degree in maths are looked on favourably for a wide range of jobs –including: cryptographer, economist, actuary, financial planner, investment analyst, and sta9s9cian or go on to masters and PhD courses. Maths can be used to solve real-world problems, which is the essence of mathema9cs, therefore analy9cal skills acquired are highly prized across all industries.

Pupils who make a career out of maths reportedly have some of the highest levels of job sa9sfac9on. In addi9on to enjoying some of the best salaries. However, if Key Stage 4 (GCSE) is the end of your mathema9cal journey we pride ourselves on crea9ng mathema9cians that are able to have an awareness of mathema9cs in the wider world and are equipped with transferable skills such as problem solving, lateral & logical thinking and high levels of numeracy.

COMBINED SCIENCE

Exam Board – OCR Gateway A

What can I expect from this subject?

Science seeks to explain how the universe works, from the smallest objects (atoms, elements, and amoeba), to the largest (blue whales, industrial chemical processes, and galaxies). The GCSE sciences seek to develop an understanding of the works of some of the greatest scien9fic minds history has known, for instance, Newton, Curie, Mendeleev, Rutherford, Franklin and Bell. They build on the founda9ons of the skills and content which are laid at key stage 3, namely: recalling concepts, laws and principles, and applying them to new and unfamiliar situa9ons; working methodically and problem solving; planning, making, recording, analysing and evalua9ng data. The course covers, amongst other topics:

1. Biology: cells, genes and the human body.

2. Chemistry: elements, reac9ons and quan9ta9ve chemistry.

3. Physics: maeer, magne9sm and radioac9vity.

The assessment of GCSE combined science consists of 6 examina9on papers which are sat at the end of year 11. There are two biology papers, two chemistry papers and two physics papers.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Visit the popular science sec9on of a bookshop and choose a publica9on to read.

2. Watch programmes such as ‘Wonders of the Solar System’, ‘Blue Planet’, ‘Rough Science’ and ‘Horizon’.

3. Listen to ‘Dara O’Briain’s Science Club’ and ‘Brainwaves’.

4. Visit museums e.g. We The Curious, The Science Museum, The Natural History Museum, and visit science based aerac9ons such as aquariums or zoos.

5. Keep asking: ‘how does this work?’, ‘why’ and ‘what if…?’

What will my next steps be?

GCSE combined science provides a sound basis for con9nuing to study the various combina9ons of Alevel biology, chemistry, physics and maths. Studying sciences at key stage 5 blends well with A-level psychology, economics, geography and product design. The sciences facilitate careers in medicine, engineering, the armed forces, conserva9on and forensics, and many, many more.

ART AND DESIGN (Fine Art)

Exam Board – AQA

What can I expect from this subject?

GCSE Art and Design allows pupils to think crea9vely and to produce work which will develop skills and challenge their thinking. This subject s9mulates curiosity and enables pupils to make comments about the world around us. Throughout the two-year course, pupils will produce a porqolio of work which includes a personal project which counts for 60% of the GCSE. During the course pupils will visit Na9onal galleries, exhibi9ons and take part in workshop, enabling them to produce a variety of exci9ng work. The other 40% of the GCSE is a 10-hour examina9on, which takes place in the March or April of the GCSE year.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Draw as o^en as possible, even doodling will help develop skills as an ar9st.

2. Become familiar with an SLR camera and its func9ons.

3. Take photographs of everything, thinking about composi9ons and viewpoints.

4. Join one of the art ac9vi9es at lunch9me and a^er school.

5. Visit exhibi9ons and galleries whenever possible

What will my next steps be?

Art provides a good balance with other subjects and allows the ability to work independently in the studio or coopera9vely with peers. Many of our pupils go on to Art Founda9on or University as the Crea9ve Industries in the second largest in the UK, so offers an exci9ng range of career opportuni9es. Almost everything around us started life in a design studio. Even if an art route is not pursued, most employers are looking for crea9ve and innova9ve employees, who are able to think crea9vely.

ART AND DESIGN (Textile Design)

Exam Board – AQA

What can I expect from this subject?

Tex9le Design is part of an Art and Design course which focuses on the crea9on of designs and products for woven, knieed, s9tched or printed fabrics and involves an understanding of fibres, yarns and fabrics. Pupils will explore and develop skills in one or more of the prac9cal Tex9les Design processes and techniques: weaving, surface prin9ng, paeern making, paeern curng, embroidery (machine or hand), knirng, ba9k, appliqué and collage. They will also examine relevant sources such as the work of historical and contemporary tex9le designers. The course is assessed via two main components:

1. Component 1: A porqolio of prac9cal work worth 60%.

2. Component 2: An externally set task in which pupils respond to one of five themes and includes 10 supervised hours.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Read and research around the subject, for example, reading cra^ and fashion magazines, following art, tex9le and fashion blogs and galleries online e.g. The Fashion and Tex9les Museum, The V&A.

2. Prac9ce skills in different types of tex9les design, including learning how to use a sewing machine.

3. Visit exhibi9ons, such as at the V&A museum in London or aeend an introductory course in a type of tex9les design, such as at the Brewery Arts Centre.

What will my next steps be?

Tex9le Design GCSE is a solid founda9on for studying A-level Art and Design or A-level Tex9les and Fashion. It could also lead to further study at university and a range of careers including: fashion design, costume design, fashion buying, fashion marke9ng, jewellery making, print design, interior design, stylists, fashion journalism and clothing technologists.

BTEC BUSINESS STUDIES

Exam Board – Pearson Edexcel (Level 2 Award)

What can I expect from this subject?

An aspira9on for many young people is to be self-employed and start their own business. The skills required for this, such as being able to work collabora9vely and crea9vely, solve problems and have awareness of businesses and customers, are also those requested by employers. Pupils will develop these during the course.

The level 2 Business course allows you to get to grips with key aspects of running small businesses with a focus on enterprise and marke9ng. Pupils will gain the right combina9on of knowledge, understanding and skills required for the 21st century.

The final grading of the course is – Dis9nc9on*, Dis9nc9on, Merit, Pass.

You complete three mandatory units:

1. Introduc9on to Business (Assignment, internally assessed, 25%)

2. Finance for Business (Examina9on, externally assessed, 25%)

3. Enterprise in the Business World (Assignment, internally assessed, 25%)

Plus 1 op9onal unit, also internally assessed assignment worth the remaining 25% of the overall grade.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

Having a good understanding of the world we live in is a fantas9c step towards understanding business. Being aware of current affairs, listening to the news on the radio and watching it on TV as well as newspapers will help with business language and concepts.

What will my next steps be?

Pupils will have gained knowledge and prac9cal skills in enterprise and marke9ng that you will be able to apply in other contexts in life outside of academic studies. In academic studies pupils can progress to Alevel or other level 3 qualifica9ons, or on to an appren9ceship or work.

BTEC CHILDREN’S PLAY LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Exam Board – Pearson Edexcel (Level 2 Award)

What can I expect from this subject?

Level 2 Children’s play, learning and development, gives pupils an insight into working with children. The course has three units which allows you to develop a broad and comprehensive understanding of the early years sector, including the importance of:

1. Child development for the 0 to 7 age range – which is reflected in the birth up to eight years focus in this qualifica9on, par9cularly in Unit 1: Paeerns of Child Development.

2. Play as a route of children’s learning, which forms the basis of early years frameworks, such as the Early Years Founda9on Stage (England) and Founda9on Phase (Wales) – which is covered in Unit 2: Promo9ng Children’s Development Through Play.

3. Inclusive prac9ce and empowering children, as well as the key person within early years serngs – which is covered in Unit 3: The Principles of Early Years Prac9ce.

Assessment for unit 1 is an external exam which will be taken in year 10, assessment for units 2 and 3 are through coursework assignments set by the teacher and moderated by the exam board, Pearson.

The aims of this BTEC are to:

1. Inspire and enthuse pupils to consider a career in early years, or related sectors, where knowledge of child development is relevant.

2. Give you the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge and understanding of, and develop skills in, the early years sector, for example, of child development and using play to promote child development.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

In order to be prepared to take BTEC Children’s Play Learning and Development it is important to have an interest in working with children. Undertaking work experience, for example by babysirng or volunteering at a nursery or prep school, will give pupils a really good insight into working with young children.

What will my next steps be?

A^er comple9ng the level 2 qualifica9on pupils can progress to a level 3 voca9onal or academic course, such as in early years, health and social care or psychology, or an appren9ceship.

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Exam Board – OCR (9-1) – J277

What can I expect from this subject?

In GCSE computer science pupils will learn how to combine a theore9cal understanding of the subject with the ability to think logically and crea9vely to solve problems. Pupils will develop a good understanding of how computers work, how the internet works, cyber security aeacks and preven9on, and the ethical and environmental impacts of computers. Pupils will learn to write code, and be able to read and understand small coding problems. The course is also very interes9ng and highly sa9sfying!

Pupils will be assessed through two 90-minute exams, worth 50% of the final mark each. They will also be given the opportunity to undertake programming tasks during the course of study which allows them to develop your skills to design, write, test and refine programs.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Seek out ac9vi9es such as BEBRAS, Cyber Discovery or The Na9onal Cipher Challenge.

2. Try coding puzzles and games from websites such as Hour of Code, Blockly, Microso^ ’s Makecode or Google’s CS First.

3. Try tutorials on websites such as Khan Academy or Code Academy.

4. Find out how to make a website.

5. Listen to podcasts or read ar9cles about new technology such as driverless cars, the internet of things, autonomous weapons or planned obsolescence

What will my next steps be?

A computer science qualifica9on makes a pupil very employable. Computer science graduates, along with engineers typically earn the highest star9ng salaries of all graduates. Computer science gives many transferable skills such as thinking logically, resilience and problem solving. Many non-compu9ng jobs will require some use of code. Computer science is available to study in the Sixth Form at Westonbirt.

CREATIVE IMEDIA

Exam Board – OCR Cambridge National (Level 2 Award)

What can I expect from this subject?

Pupils will plan, design, create and project manage a variety of digital products. This course is geared towards those who wish to develop a range of digital and IT skills and those who enjoy crea9vity and design work.

Pupils will study two core units:

1. Pre-produc9on skills (exam)

2. Crea9ng Digital Graphics (coursework)

Then an addi9onal two from the following op9ons:

3. Crea9ng a mul9page website (coursework)

4. Crea9ng a digital anima9on (coursework)

5. Crea9ng Interac9ve Mul9media Products (coursework)

6. Crea9ng a digital Sound Sequence (coursework)

7. Crea9ng a digital video Sequence (coursework)

8. Designing a game concept (coursework)

9. Developing digital games (coursework)

IT skills are essen9al for most employment opportuni9es, and the ability to use IT effec9vely will be of great benefit for future study and generally as a life skill.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

Find tutorials with crea9ve elements, such as, making websites, anima9ons, graphics, game making, working with video and sound. Become involved in compu9ng compe99ons and ac9vi9es at school. Use spare prep 9me to expand and develop work began in lessons. Aeend compu9ng clubs.

What will my next steps be?

Study computer science, BTEC compu9ng, media studies or photography at Westonbirt School in the sixth form. Pupils will find the skills needed to be successful in this course are transferable and will make you more effec9ve in your work for all other subjects, and in your future employment opportuni9es.

BTEC DANCE

Exam Board – Pearson Edexcel (Level 2 Award)

What can I expect from this subject?

Dance is a powerful and expressive subject which encourages pupils to develop their crea9ve, physical, emo9onal and intellectual capacity, whatever their previous experience in the subject. This two-year course recognises the role of dance in young people’s lives and pupils will study a range of dance styles and style fusions. Apart from the solo performance, they can choose any style in which to perform and choreograph. This GCSE is 60% prac9cal (Performance & Choreography) and 40% wrieen exam (Dance Apprecia9on).

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Get up and dance!

2. Watch different styles of movement & dance.

3. Go and experience some live dance, aeend a live show, watch a musical, a ballet performance or visit a local dance company show.

What will my next steps be?

Dance combines physical and expressive skills, making it a useful op9on to choose as a basis to support a wide range of A-level and voca9onal courses. Dance develops crea9ve, imagina9ve, physical, emo9onal and intellectual capaci9es which gives you a diverse range of skills that are useful in many future careers. Common roles include: a performer, dancing or ac9ng, performing arts, a dance or physical educa9on teacher or lecturer, a choreographer/director for television and film, a writer, or a dance development officer.

DRAMA

Exam Board – AQA

What can I expect from this subject?

This course gives pupils the opportunity to do what pupils like best – to par9cipate in performance!

1. All pupils devise drama.

2. All pupils explore texts prac9cally and work on two text-based performances

3. Pupils can choose to develop as a performer, designer (ligh9ng, sound, costume, set, puppetry) or a performer and designer. Whatever op9on chosen, pupils can be sure to gather many valuable skills, both theatrical and transferable, to expand their horizons.

Drama pupils learn to collaborate with others, think analy9cally and evaluate effec9vely. They gain the confidence to pursue their own ideas, reflect and refine their efforts. Whatever the future holds, pupils of GCSE Drama emerge with a toolkit of transferable skills, applicable both in further studies and in the workplace.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Make independent live theatre visits. If possible see a version of the set play.

2. Familiarise yourself with the set play and make 9me to read the other set plays.

What will my next steps be?

This course offers clear progression and con9nuity to A-level Drama and Theatre. Pupils who go on to study A-level are already familiar with studying a whole set text for the wrieen paper and have built solid founda9ons in reviewing a live theatre produc9on and interpre9ng key extracts. All these aspects feature in the A-level as well as the GCSE.

FOOD AND NUTRITION

Exam Board – OCR

What can I expect from this subject?

Through this course, pupils will gain the knowledge, understanding and skills to be able to feed themselves and others beeer. They will develop a wide range of prac9cal cookery skills and be able to work confidently with many different commodi9es including meat and fish. Pupils will learn all the basic techniques of sauces, cake, bread, pasta and pastry making. They will explore the principles of food science, nutri9on, food tradi9ons and provenance and food safety. Pupils will learn about healthy ea9ng in the context of the government’s current nutri9on guidelines and learn about the cuisines of at least two other countries. The GCSE is assessed through one theory exam in the summer of year 11 (worth 50%) and two non-examined assessments which will be completed earlier in year 11 (worth 15% - food science task, and 35% - food prepara9on task).

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Take an ac9ve interest in the food that you eat.

2. Be aware of how to plan a good diet.

3. Think how your food is prepared, where it comes from and how it is produced.

4. Think what factors affect the cost and availability of food products available to you.

5. Look at what is available in the shops and markets at different 9mes of the year.

6. Prac9se your basic skills, try to make more than one dish at a 9me and try to ‘dove-tail’ tasks, using your 9me and energies effec9vely and clean and 9dy as you go.

What will my next steps be?

This course is a perfect prepara9on for the Leiths Food and Wine course available in the Sixth Form at Westonbirt. We are a Leiths Academy school, which now includes CTH (Confedera9on of Tourism and Hospitality) Level 3 Extended Cer9ficate in Professional Cookery, as well as a Level 2 food hygiene qualifica9on. “Whatever else you do in your life, you need to be able to cook!”

GEOGRAPHY

Exam Board – OCR

What can I expect from this subject?

This subject has never been more relevant. It helps you to understand many of the global issues that face our planet today, such as environmental responsibility and global interdependence. You will become skilled in research, data analysis and decision making. Fieldwork is also a central component of the course, with two enquiries undertaken: one residen9al trip in the summer of year 10 studying rivers and coasts in Devon, and one day trip to Birmingham to study urban sociodemographic characteris9cs.

The course is examined through 3 papers at the end of the 2 years of study.

1. Paper 1: Our Natural World - Topics studied: Global Hazards; Changing Climate; Dis9nc9ve Landscapes; Sustaining Ecosystems

2. Paper 2: People and Society - Topics studied: Urban Futures; Dynamic Development; UK in the 21st Century; Resource Reliance.

3. Paper 3: Geographical explora9on - This paper has a series of ques9ons focusing on synop9c assessment of material from the 8 topics already studied. There will be a decision- making exercise where you look at a situa9on and use resources provided to make your own judgement and sugges9ons about a topical issue.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Watch the news and consider the many links to geography in the events taking place around the world every day.

2. Read and research around the subject, for example, follow the UN Sustainable Development Goals on Twieer.

3. Watch any documentaries that are about human interac9on with each other and the world, such as 'Blue Planet' and ‘Ci9es’.

4. Get out and about, explore the UK and abroad and observe what you see.

What will my next steps be?

Geography GCSE is a sound founda9on to studying A-level geography, as well as a broad range of other subjects in the Sixth Form. Drawing on both skills from the arts and the sciences, it is an excellent route into a range of different fields, from GIS and climatology, medicine to architecture and business.

HISTORY

Exam Board – Cambridge

What can I expect from this subject?

“History gives answers only to those who know how to ask ques9ons” – Hajo Holborn. Other subjects teach you the answers, iGCSE history teaches you to ask the ques9ons. It enables you to learn lessons from the past so that we can understand the present and improve the future. You will develop skills such as analysing informa9on, forming substan9ated judgements, evalua9ng sources of informa9on, and assessing the significance of specific events or individuals. The following units are looked at under the Cambridge iGCSE specifica9on:

1. Core content: Interna9onal Rela9ons since 1919 (specifically looking at the events a^er WWI, the collapse of peace, the Cold War and events in the Gulf).

2. Depth Study: Germany 1918-1945.

The iGCSE consists of 2 exam papers worth 73% sat in the summer of year 11, and coursework worth 27%

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Read and research from a range of different sources: leeers, historical novels, newspapers, historical documentaries.

2. Develop an inquisi9ve mind: ask ques9ons about the events in the news and the people around you.

What will my next steps be?

The skills that are developed throughout GCSE History are highly valued beyond school life and this is why history is specifically highlighted by the Russell Group universi9es as one of a handful of subjects that ‘open a wide range of op9ons.’ As such, the analy9cal and cri9cal reasoning that studying history helps you develop and can help open doors to careers such as law, forensic medicine, journalism or a future in poli9cs.

LATIN

Exam Board – OCR

What can I expect from this subject?

La9n lies at the root of many European languages, and has also exerted a huge influence on English. As you progress in the subject, you will begin to see how much La9n 9es in with the world around you, not just in the field of language, but more generally too. At GCSE you will also explore some of the literature from this period, studying the actual words of the ancient writers themselves, such as Caesar and Pliny.

It is well recognised that the study of La9n develops mental skills which are of great value, both at school and in later life. It will help you to:

1. Think logically and analyse problems.

2. Present arguments persuasively.

3. Think and write clearly.

4. Develop an eye for detail.

The GCSE consists of 3 exam papers which you will sit in the summer of year 11.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Build and consolidate knowledge of the core vocabulary and the associated grammar.

2. Read around the subject of ancient Greece and Rome.

3. Watch any documentaries that are about the ancient Greek and Roman world.

What will my next steps be?

La9n GCSE certainly opens the way to studying it at A-level, which is a challenging and s9mula9ng course, well respected at university. Pupils might also consider the related course of A level Classical Civilisa9on. People who study La9n find that it can be useful in the world of journalism, law, poli9cs and further studies in languages and literature.

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES (French and Spanish)

Exam Board – AQA

What can I expect from this subject?

Take on the challenge of modern languages! GCSE French and Spanish will open doors to infinite possibili9es for work, travel or even just your family holiday. On a personal level, pupils’ confidence will grow, while their ability to navigate the con9nents will propel them forward, opening mind and heart to exci9ng new cultures. Pupils will take their first steps on your personal road to discovery and learn the skills to communicate successfully with people, making your mark in a constantly evolving world. GCSE French and Spanish offer the chance to explore how people communicate, interact, socialise, and how they have developed culturally in the history of mankind. The two-year course covers three main themes:

1. Theme 1: iden9ty and culture.

2. Theme 2: local, na9onal, interna9onal and global areas of interest.

3. Theme 3: current and future study and employment. The GCSE consists of 4 exams: listening, speaking, reading and wri9ng.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Immerse in the language in the summer holidays.

2. Speak the language abroad. Don’t be shy, take the lead and ask ques9ons.

3. Read in the foreign language as much as possible – books, magazines, comics and more.

4. Watch foreign films, cartoons or series. Listen to their music!

What will my next steps be?

Modern languages are an excellent A-level op9on. At university, they can be studied for a deeper knowledge and apprecia9on of one’s chosen specialty language. They are o^en combined with the introduc9on of one or more new languages. They can be very successfully combined with the study of most other subjects, the arts, poli9cs, journalism, philosophy, economics, business, law, history, environment; making them a useful op9on to choose as a basis to support a wide range of A Level and voca9onal courses.

Modern languages give a diverse range of skills for life which are useful in many future careers in the UK and abroad.

MUSIC

Exam Board – OCR

Music is constantly evolving, inspiring crea9vity and expression in a unique way, unlike any other subject. GCSE Music offers pupils a relevant and contemporary GCSE qualifica9on which incorporates a wide range of musical genres with more opportuni9es for prac9cal learning. GCSE Music brings theory, listening and composi9on to life in a new and engaging way and links to the world around us like never before. Throughout the two-year course, pupils will study three units:

1. Understanding music

2. Performing music

3. Composing music

Understanding music focuses on listening and contextual understanding which is assessed by a wrieen 1hour 30-minute exam. Within this topic, pupils will study 4 key areas: Western Classical Music 1690-1910, Popular Music, Tradi9onal Music and Classical Music since 1910.

For the performance unit, pupils prepare two performances pieces (one solo and one ensemble piece) which are both internally assessed.

For the composi9on unit, pupils compose two composi9ons; one to a brief provided by the exam board and the other a free composi9on.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Pupils should already be learning an instrument or having singing lessons with an aim to be playing repertoire at Grade 4 standard by Year 11.

2. Pupils should listen to a variety of music from different genres and think about what music they enjoy listening to and who inspires their music making.

3. Find pieces of music you enjoy playing or singing.

4. Note down any ini9al ideas for a free composi9on. Liele melodies, rhythms and chord progressions are all great places to start.

What will my next steps be?

Pupils may choose to con9nue with music, by studying A level or BTEC Music/Performing Arts; equally, they may want to study other subjects. Either way, choosing Music GCSE will be of benefit as it provides transferable skills and can open doors to a range of educa9on and employment pathways in:

1. Music (as a teacher, music therapist, sound technician, or working in a music venue).

2. Arts/crea9ve industries (working in television, media, film, produc9on, theatre, radio or arts administra9on).

Music is also highly regarded as an academic subject and would complement other studies in leading to a professional career.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Exam Board – AQA

What can I expect from this subject?

GCSE physical educa9on is a subject that equips pupils with the knowledge, understanding and skills to develop their own performance in sport. They develop their understanding of socio-cultural influences on par9cipa9on in sport and the benefits of physical ac9vity to health, fitness and well-being. Throughout the two-year course pupils will cover:

anatomy and physiology.

analysis.

training.

psychology.

Socio-cultural influences.

Health, fitness and wellbeing.

The GCSE consists of 2 exam papers which are sat in the summer of year 11. In addi9on, each candidate chooses three sports to be assessed in.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

All pupils are set a series of tasks to complete during the summer prior to the start of the course. This involves some reading, crea9ng a small presenta9on and crea9ng some quiz ques9ons.

What will my next steps be?

1. GCSE Physical Educa9on includes both elements from arts and the sciences making it a useful op9on to choose as a basis to support a wide range of A level and BTEC courses.

2. BTEC Sport is offered at Westonbirt, this equates to the same UCAS points as one A level.

GCSE physical educa9on gives you a diverse range of skills which are useful in many future careers. Common roles include: physiotherapy, military careers, teaching and lecturing, sports coaching, personal trainer and sports journalism.

PRODUCT DESIGN

Exam Board – AQA Art and Design (Three-Dimensional Design)

What can I expect from this subject?

Pupils that choose to study GCSE product design will be introduced to a variety of ac9vi9es that explore a range of three-dimensional products, processes and techniques. The beginning of the course is focused on skills building, so that each pupil is able to demonstrate these in each of the projects that follow. Crea9ve design briefs are set to challenge pupils to consider the user of a product. Technical drawing and 3D so^ware will be used to present ini9al design ideas. This will then lead on to developing designs by model-making, construc9on and assembly. Considera9on of aesthe9cs and func9on will be refined through prototyping, tes9ng and evalua9ng. Resources such as hand tools, laser cueer and 3D printer will be used to make final products.

The course consists of one coursework project 60% and one exam project 40%.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Explore contemporary design, designers and current design themes online.

2. Follow design galleries on social media e.g. The Design Museum: London, Bauhaus Archive: Berlin, Museum of Modern Art: New York, Vitra Design Museum: Germany, Red Hot Design Museum: Singapore.

3. Take photographs of interes9ng products and design.

4. Set up a Pinterest account and use this to research contemporary design.

5. Prac9ce technical drawing such as isometric drawing.

What will my next steps be?

GCSE product design is suitable for anyone considering a future in a variety of areas of design, including anima9on, architecture, interior design, special effects for film and television, product design or engineering. Within product design and engineering, there is a wide variety of extremely interes9ng career possibili9es such as the design of medical instruments, naval architect, sports engineer, from designing specialist equipment for ac9vi9es such as diving to designing products that we use every day.

RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Exam Board –AQA

What can I expect from this subject?

Religious studies is the opportunity to study religion and philosophical themes in greater depth and really develop your cri9cal thinking skills. The addi9onal units of Crime and Punishment and War and Peace offer really engaging study into topics such as why people commit crimes, is it ever right to forgive? Is the death penalty ethical? Religious studies stands out from other GCSE subjects in its ability to study topical issues and to consider these from both our own view and the views of religions. It is also unique in its ability to develop evalua9on and analy9cal skills which arguably are important for all pupils, whatever career path they ul9mately choose to follow. You will also study religious prac9ces which arguably is the most interes9ng part of religion to understand what mo9vates people to live in a par9cular way. pupils have already begun studying content for this GCSE and during year 9 to 11 will cover:

1. Issues of rela9onships and families: marriage, contracep9on, divorce and gender equality

2. Issues of religions and life: origins of the universe, animal rights, abor9on and euthanasia

3. Issues of religion, peace and conflict: nuclear weapons, pacifism, terrorism and just war theory

4. Issues of religion, crime and punishment: aims of punishment, treatment of criminals, capital and corporal punishment

5. Chris9anity - beliefs, teachings and prac9ces

6. Buddhism - beliefs, teachings and prac9ces

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Look at real life case examples such as Harold Shipman. Should he have received the death penalty for what he did?

2. Research the Suffrageees and their methods. Consider were they ethical? Were they necessary to get women the vote.

3. Watch the news to engage in current stories about religion in the media.

4. Research religious views about topics such as same sex marriage, abor9on, and euthanasia.

What will my next steps be?

The full course offers an in-depth prepara9on for the A-level course. Both the A-level and the GCSE encourage cri9cal thinking skills and therefore are excellent for a wide range of degree courses and careers. Common degree choices from this subject include law, medicine, poli9cs and journalism.

For more informa9on on why to choose Religious Studies watch some videos here:

Promo9onal film collec9on - Culham St Gabriel's (cstg.org.uk) heps://www.cstg.org.uk/campaigns/promo9ng-an-educa9on-in-rwv/promo9onal-film-collec9on/

SEPARATE SCIENCE

Exam Board – OCR Gateway A

What can I expect from this subject?

The separate science courses augment the combined science course. Each separate GCSE in biology, chemistry and physics consists of the same units as the GCSE combined science, but with addi9onal content embedded within the combined science units. The separate science courses are ideally suited to those pupils who have a passion for science and who have demonstrated an ap9tude for coping with the rigours of these disciplines. Indeed, it is par9cularly appropriate for those who are thinking that a science might be something which they would like to con9nue to study at A-level.

The addi9onal content covers, amongst other things:

1. Biology: homeostasis.

2. Chemistry: tes9ng for ions and industrial chemical processes.

3. Physics: pressure, life-cycle of stars.

The separate science GCSEs also consist of, in total, 6 examina9on papers, which are sat at the end of year 11; two papers in biology, two in chemistry and two in physics.

What can I do to prepare for this course?

1. Watch programmes such as ‘The Royal Ins9tu9on Christmas Lectures’, ‘The Sky at Night’, various programs by Sir David Aeenborough or Brian Cox and ‘Horizon’.

2. Listen to ‘The Infinite Monkey Cage’, ‘The Curious Cases of Rutherford & Fry’ and ‘Brainwaves’.

3. Visit the popular science sec9on of a bookshop and choose a publica9on to read.

4. Visit museums e.g. We The Curious, The Science Museum, The Natural History Museum, aquariums

5. Keep asking: ‘how does this work?’, ‘why’ and ‘what if…?’

What will my next steps be?

The separate science courses provide a firm founda9on for con9nuing to study the various combina9ons of A level biology, chemistry, physics and maths. Studying sciences at key stage 5 also blends well with Alevel economics, geography, psychology and product design. The sciences facilitate careers in medicine, engineering, the armed forces, conserva9on and forensics, and many many more.